Garden of the Gods, Colorado
Everything the RV Renter Needs to Know
Everything the RV Renter Needs to Know
Sprawling prairies. Red rock mountains towering on the horizon line. Verdant plant life that makes for a veritable paradise, an oasis in the desert—all this and more awaits visitors to the Garden of the Gods. Sitting just on the edge of bustling Colorado Springs, Garden of the Gods is a National Natural Landmark that attracts visitors from across the world to get away from everyday life and step into a place so beautiful, it might as well be heaven.
As you get ready to embark on your RV adventure out to the Garden of the Gods, plan ahead to make sure you don’t miss any of the excellent tours and adventures to be had within and around the park. In this guide, find everything you need to know before you rent your RV of choice and head out.
The first place you’ll want to visit on your Garden of the Gods excursion is the visitor center. There, you can catch a guided nature walk that takes guests deep into the park itself. These guided walks make for a great introduction to Garden of the Gods, as they only take around 45-60 minutes in total. They cost $5 per person and must be reserved in advance. They’ll teach you plenty about the park’s rich history and ecology, while setting you up for an adventure of your own making.
At the end of the one-way walk to the Gateway of the Rockies, you will have two options: continue exploring on your own from there or return back to the visitor center with your guide. That means you can use these quick, morning tours as just the start of a whole day’s adventure or take a quick two-hour trip into the park before setting off somewhere else as you explore the greater Colorado Springs area. Visit the Garden of the Gods website for more details and to reserve your guided nature walk.
If you want a little more out of your guided experiences at Garden of the Gods, the park’s Adventure Series is a great way to see more of the park—with a twist. These programs aren’t daily, but if you plan ahead, you can build your trip around a tour that aligns with your interests and passions and shows you a unique side of the park from the perspective of a local expert.
Photographers will love the landscape photography tours put on by local legend “Hiking Bob,” which change depending on the season—for example, in autumn, you can enjoy a Fall Colors Photography tour, which takes about two hours and will set you up with some great shots to share once you’re back home. Amateur scientists won’t want to miss the Geology Hikes, which are led by geologist Jay Temple. Both of these special tours cost $10 and can be reserved in advance of your trip here.
One of the best ways to see the Garden of the Gods is by bicycle, and there are several options for bicycling through the park. If you are an avid biker and are planning to strap your bike to your RV, make sure to stop by the park visitor center before you head out for a ride. They offer free maps and can help you plot your trip, whether you’re interested in sticking to the bike lanes on the park’s paved roads or want to learn about the rules regarding off-road mountain biking.
You can also rent a bike if you prefer, and that includes e-Bikes. If you’ve never experienced a ride on an electric-assisted bicycle, this is definitely the place to do it. The onboard motors are controlled by the user to provide just a bit of assistance, still requiring you to pedal but helping you get up steep hills and enjoy longer coasting between pedaling. Amp’d Adventures is authorized within the park to offer rentals and also guided e-bike tours with a wide variety of electric and standard mountain bikes to choose from.
Bicycles aren’t the only vehicles that offer unforgettable tours of the Garden of the Gods. There are several other exciting adventures awaiting from any of the park’s tour guide services. Perhaps the most unique is the 1901 Trolley Tour, which takes guests on a 45-minute trip back in time to 1909 when the Garden of the Gods first became a park. For a more hands-on—but still relaxed—tour, check out Adventure Level Segway Tours for a 2-hour training and Segway riding session.
Finally, Jeep tours are offered throughout the park in a variety of flavors. Get a close look at the park’s history with a 90-minute tour to Balanced Rock. Get some elevation on the Rampart Range Road Tour for excellent mountain and canyon views or take a two-hour Short-Line Off-Road Tour to see waterfalls, an abandoned railroad tunnel, and more. Visit the tours page of the Garden of the Gods official website for more information and to contact tour operators.
The red sandstone mountains towering 300 feet above Garden of the Gods act as a beacon to mountain climbers looking for their next challenge. Ropata offers Front Range Climbing experiences that leave right from the visitor center and are perfect for the entire family. This tour will take you to the top of the aptly named front range for scenic views and a thrilling chance to rappel down the stone cliffs.
Front Range Climbing Company also offers a more diverse range of climbing services. You bring your backpack with water and snacks for the journey (along with your comfortable sneakers or hiking shoes), and they’ll do the rest—setting you up with equipment and taking you on either a full-day or half-day climbing tour in the Garden of the Gods. Learn more about these private tours here, or visit the Garden of the Gods website for more information on all of your climbing options.
You can’t get closer to the park itself than camping near Garden of the Gods RV Resort, which boasts amazing views of Pike’s Peak, close proximity to the park and other area attractions, and unbeatable amenities within the resort itself. Enjoy back-in and pull-through sites with full hookups; reserve early for a poolside RV site!
If you’re looking for value, you can’t beat Goldfield RV Park in Manitou Springs, Colorado. Just minutes from Colorado Springs and Garden of the Gods, this excellent venue offers RV sites for as little as $32 a day, but they don’t skimp on the amenities. Enjoy standard electric hookups and even Wi-Fi and cable TV at no additional charge.
Fountain Creek RV Park in Colorado Springs is a quaint and secluded RV park that offers everything you’d expect from any RV resort. Fountain Creek has 86 sites with both 30-amp and 50-amp hookups, some of which are massive pull-through sites accommodating even the biggest of RV rentals.
If you’re looking for modern and family-friendly accommodations, don’t miss Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park @ Larkspur. Construction was only recently completed on this massive resort, which offers amazing family programming for kids of all ages, alongside affordable RV sites with full hookups and a location convenient to Garden of the Gods.
Falcon Meadow RV Campground offers the most rustic stay on this list, and it’s perfect for families hoping to get out of the city and really enjoy the mountains in nature. Falcon Meadow is family-owned and offers 45 RV sites, a convenient camp store, and some amazing mountain views from their 6,800-foot elevation.
The visitor center and museum at Garden of the Gods are absolutely top-notch, and their on-site restaurant is no exception. Beansprouts is touted as a “hip & healthy café” that offers healthy dining options and a full-service coffee bar, so you can stay energized for whatever your day brings.
One of the biggest culinary draws to Colorado Springs is the area’s vibrant craft beer culture. Microbreweries have long been a part of the mountain culture throughout Colorado, and there are so many fantastic breweries right in Colorado Springs that the city’s tourism board offers a whole self-guided brewery tour for visitors. Of note in the area are Fossil Craft Beer and Phantom Canyon Brewing Company, both of which offer great beers and food in an atmosphere that captures the mountain spirit.
Not looking for beer? That’s okay! You’ll have plenty of other options throughout the area. Local favorites include Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar (famous for “bringing the coasts to the coast-less”) and the excellent OKC-style barbeque at Bird Dog BBQ.
Explore these and many other dining options to your heart’s content on the excellent Colorado Springs tourism website, which provides tons of local information in an easy-to-use format.